What We Believe

God the Father

We believe in one God, eternally existing in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each of whom possesses equally all the attributes of deity and the characteristics of personality. We believe that in the beginning God created out of nothing the world and all the things therein, thus manifesting the glory of His power, wisdom and goodness. By His sovereign power, He continues to sustain His creation. By His providence, He is operating throughout history to fulfill His redemptive purposes. Genesis 1:1,26; Matthew 28:19; John 1:1, 3; 4:24; Acts 5:3-4; Romans 1:20; Ephesians 4:5-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14

Jesus Christ

We believe that Jesus Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary and is true God and true man. Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:25-38; Romans 9:5; Titus 2:13

Holy spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, was sent into the world by the Father and the Son to apply to mankind the saving work of Christ. We believe that He enlightens the minds of sinners, awakens in them recognition of their need for a Savior and regenerates them. We believe that, at the point of salvation, He permanently indwells every believer to become the source of assurance, strength, and wisdom, and uniquely endows each believer with gifts for ministry. We believe that the Holy Spirit guides believers in understanding and applying the Scripture. We believe that His power and control are appropriated by faith, making it possible for the believer to lead a life of Christ-like character and to bear fruit to the glory of the Father. John 14:16-17,26; 15:26-27; 16:8-11,13; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 2:9-14; 6:19-20; Hebrews 9:14

We believe that man was created in the image of God, that he sinned and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death which is separation from God, and that all human beings are born with a sinful nature, and become guilty sinners in thought, word and deed. Genesis 1:26-27; 3:1-24; Romans 3:25; 5:12-18; I John 1:8

Man

We believe Baptism is a sacrament. In a sacrament, God uses common elements - in this case, water - as means or vehicles of divine grace. Baptism is administered by the church as the Body of Christ. It is the act of God through the grace of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. Our church offers to people being baptized and to the parents of infants the choice of sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. Sprinkling is a common practice, but the person being baptized (or their sponsors) can choose the method most meaningful to them. We believe that "the power of the Spirit in baptism does not depend upon the mode by which water is administered, the age or psychological disposition of the baptized person, or the character of the minister. It is God's grace that makes the sacrament whole." (By Water and the Spirit) Acts 2:28-41,47; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 8:36-40; 10:47; 18:8; Romans 6:3-4; I Corinthians 12:13

BAPTISM

We believe in the personal and imminent return of our Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 1:11; I Thessalonians 4:16-17

CHRIST’S RETURN

We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, inerrant in its original manuscripts. The Bible is our supreme and final authority in faith and life. 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21

THE BIBLE

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures as a representative and substitutionary sacrifice; that He rose victorious from the grave on the third day; and that all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. Isaiah 53; Matthew 20:28; John 3:16; Romans 3:24-26; 5:1; I Corinthians 15:3; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:7; I John 2:2; Matthew 28:6; Romans 10:9; I Corinthians 15:14) We believe that all who come by grace through repentance and faith to accept the Lord Jesus Christ are born again of the Holy Spirit and thereby become children of God. (John 1:12-13; 3:3, 5; James 1:18; I Peter 1:23; Ephesians 2:8-9

SALVATION

We believe that there is one true Church universal, comprised of all those who acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We believe that the Scripture commands believers to gather together to devote themselves to worship, prayer, the teaching of the Word, the observance of believers baptism and communion as the ordinances established by Jesus Christ, fellowship, service to the body through the development and use of talents and gifts and outreach to the world. We believe that wherever God’s people meet regularly in obedience to this command, there is the local expression of the Church and that under the watch care of Elders and other supportive leadership, its members are to work together in love and unity, intent on the one ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ. Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 2:42-47

THE CHURCH

We believe in the bodily resurrection of the just and the unjust, the everlasting joy of the saved and the everlasting conscious punishment of the lost. John 5:28-29; I Corinthians 15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:4-6, 11-15

ETERNITY

We believe that those who partake of the Lord’s Supper should be born-again believers, walking in fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Acts 2:42-46; I Corinthians 11:23-29